WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Saturday Update - MONEYBALL #1 w/ $20+mil. Old LION KING #2 over new DOLPHIN? ELITE, ABDUCTION start low

"I wonder if a fat guy like me could ever be as thin as Brad?  Nah, never happen."

     The #1 film will most likely be the new Brad Pitt sports film  MONEYBALL.  Based on the true story of the unorthodox rebuilding of the 2002 Oakland A's the film is attracting both sports fans and smarter moviegoers who flocked to the similarly paced SOCIAL NETWORK last year.  It is targeting the $20+mil range. 


     But it could be the days of the dolphin this weekend as DOLPHIN TALE will give that film and LION KING a good fight according to early estimates at The Hollywood Reporter.

In the spoof of this the dolphin with be breastfed by the little boy...

     The new family film about a dolphin rescued off the coast of Florida whose tail was amputated looks to score in the $17mil range for the three-day period.  But keep in mind children attendance rises during matinees so that figure could go up.  Nonetheless buoyed by strong reviews and a lack of new family product out there, DOLPHIN TALE should do quite, ummm, swimmingly.

Yeah, this really isn't in the movie but if you believed it was I'm laughing at you...

     Last week's BIG surprise at #1 was THE LION KING.  It grossed a phenomenal $30mil. which is quite a feat for a re-issued film.  There was a rush to see it last week ("In theatres for a limited time!" trumpeted the ads) and the new dolphin movie will be competing against it.  LION KING is expected to fall about 35% which will land it at about $20mil for Friday to Sunday.  If that were the case KING would take #2.

"Damn TWI-hards found me again!!"

     The new Taylor Lautner Bourne Identity homage/rip-off has a built-in audience with teens and younger adults.  It looks to make about $11-13mil this weekend.

By aiming in three different directions they would eventually hit someone...

     The last of the new openers is KILLER ELITE starring Robert DeNiro, Jason Statham and Clive Owen.  The poorly reviewed film will open to about $11mil.


More info as it comes in!

You'll take an eye out with that thing!

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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE - Saturday update: 17 years later and THE LION KING is #1 again - $20mil+! DRIVE #2, STRAW DOGS, HOW SHE DOES IT $7mil ea.

And with this one free throw the baboons could win the game...

     Apparently the circle of life in movies is 17 years as the re-release of THE LION KING is tops at the box office this weekend.  The Academy Award winner was #1 for several weeks back in 1994.

     Based on early estimates from Deadline Hollywood and The Hollywood Reporter the #1 movie for this weekend will easily be Disney's beloved African adventure.

     (On a side note, I remember when you wouldn't find out 'til Monday afternoon what the #1 movie of the weekend was.  Now we're finding it out Friday afternoon BEFORE we've even gone to the googolplex.  Creepy!)

     This bodes well for Disney as they can probably re-issue more animated classics and know there's an audience willing to drop coin on something they probably own at home (albeit not in 3-D...yet).  The 3-D industry had a rough summer and is somewhat redeemed with this #1 film (but once again 3-D does well only with a film targeted to children).

"I don't believe this will really solve my male pattern baldness"

 

"Vrooom!  Vrooom!"

     Last week's #1 flick CONTAGION slips to #2 but will hold up well with a drop in the 40% range.  For the weekend look for the ensemble piece to gross an estimated $12mil.  That's a very good hold as the usual box-office drops for wide releases are in the 50-60% range.

     DRIVE is the film I'm dying to see and apparently so are a few others.  The Ryan Gosling film will open strong at $11mil. which will make it the #1 choice from the three original wide releases.  

   




     As for the other two releases, the story's not so great.  The latest Sarah Jessica Parker rom-com I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT and the suspense remake STRAW DOGS will open at about $6mil each.


More info as it comes in!

Big Crap Attack

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Smurf you!

Hand sanitizer anyone?

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Nosey!

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